A Rare 16-Bore (.650) Flintlock Breech-Loading Sporting Rifle

A Rare 16-Bore (.650) Flintlock Breech-Loading Sporting Rifle By Jn. Lett, London, Circa 1775-80 With sighted barrel slightly flared at the muzzle, rifled with twelve spiral grooves, and signed in capitals within an elongated loop along the tapering sighting flat in front of the threaded loading aperture, the latter with circular threaded plug (probably replaced) removed for loading and acting as a back-sight, border engraved tang finely decorated with flowering foliage, border engraved flat bevelled lock (cock expertly replaced) signed in capitals on a rococo scroll involving a banner and decorated with a stag in a landscape on the stepped tail, steel with small roller, figured full stock (fore-stock with some old repairs, butt possibly with central join) carved with a shell behind the barrel tang, border engraved steel mounts comprising flat bevelled side-plate decorated with a deerhound and a fallen deer in a landscape, butt-plate with foliage on the heel tang, trigger-guard with flower-heads on the bow, trigger-plate with scallop-shell finial, turned ramrod-pipes, and later horn-tipped ramrod (barrel and mounts with some old light pitting), London proof marks 92 cm. barrel Footnotes: Provenance The Penrose Collection John 2 Lett was apprenticed to Edward Turvey in 1748 and turned over to Jonathan Stanton in 1753. He is recorded as Gunmaker at Little Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London, and as died by 1785 For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing